Latest side effect of COVID-19 can mimic a sign of breast cancer
As the Covid-19 vaccines roll out around the world, the fear & anxiety of the pandemic is slowly subsiding.
Cancer patients, one of the most vulnerable groups, are also finally breathing a sigh of relief as top cancer specialists, like Dr. Manish Singhal, not only recommend them taking the vaccine but insist on it. (Check : Best Cancer Treatment in India.)
However, due to the fast-paced development of vaccines, there is fear and uncertainty not only about their efficacy but also about their side effects.
One such side effect is creating undue fear in women, causing them to worry that they might have breast cancer.
Vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna can cause lymph nodes to swell, especially lymph nodes in the armpit on the side where the vaccine shot has been administered.
In Moderna’s study, 11.6% of patients reported swollen lymph nodes after the first dose and 16% after the second dose. On the other hand, Pfizer-BioNTech appeared to have a lower incidence, with 0.3% of patients reporting it.
According to a recent report, some women are feeling these armpit lymph nodes and mistakenly associating them with breast cancer.
Not only that, but these swollen lymph nodes can also show up in a mammogram, whether women can feel them or not.
Is there a need to worry?
There is no need to worry. Post-vaccination lymph node swelling is extremely common and completely harmless. If there is anything about post-vaccination lymph node swelling that concerns doctors, it is the fear it causes. Also, it could trigger a false positive on a mammogram creating a need for further testing, according to experts.
The reason for further testing is the occurrence of such discernable enlarged swellings is extremely unusual in the normal screening population. So, when cancer specialists see them, they raise a red flag. Which, in this case, is unnecessary because such swellings are common with Covid-19 vaccination.
Why do the lymph nodes swell after vaccination?
According to vaccine researchers and cancer specialists, vaccine swelling indicates that the body is directing its powers to fight the supposed intruder-the vaccine, in this case. This is exactly what is supposed to happen following inoculation. But, it doesn’t happen to everyone.
That is why the Society of Breast Imaging is now recommending women postpone any mammography scheduled within four weeks after their final COVID-19 shot.
The lymphs have been seen in
The swelling has not only been seen in women but also men. However, it is more commonly seen in women.
Some case reports published online in the journal Clinical Imaging detailed four women who got the COVID-19 vaccine and then sought breast screening.
A suspected case of breast cancer-A 59-year-old woman with a family history of breast cancer received targeted ultrasound to evaluate a lump in her left armpit. This was 9 days after getting the Pfizer vaccine.
A case of a false positive-A 42-year-old woman who had a routine mammogram and was found to have multiple swollen lymph nodes in her left armpit. She then had to return for a follow-up ultrasound exam to rule out cancer.
A nurse at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Aubrey Lewis, told ABC News that she initially had no side effects to the Moderna Vaccine, but a few days later she found swelling in one of her lymph nodes.
To fear or not to fear
In conclusion, there is no need to fear armpit lumps right after the Covid-19 vaccination because it can be your body’s natural reaction. However, if you discover an armpit swelling suddenly and are unsure about it’s cause, you can always consult a specialist.
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